Communication Tips Day 5| What's Your Style?
Developing your own unique style when it comes to effective communication is critical to your success as a blogger and content creator. Not only is finding your own voice as a communicator a great asset that helps to create a loyal readership, in time it will help you stand out in the giant forest of website authors and make more money from your blog.
Think of some of the great communicators of all time. What is it about the way they speak and write that makes them both unique and effective?
For Mark Twain and Will Rogers, it was the way they were able to write short, pithy sentences filled with common sense and humor. Zig Ziglar became famous for his folksy, down home style. Ziglar had a unique sounding voice and he often used colloquialisms to get his point across. The same was true for journalist Andy Rooney.
Each of these great communicators had a way of making you feel like you were right there with them. They wrote and spoke directly to us as though we were the most important person in the room. They had a powerful way of engaging readers.
Engaging readers and keeping them engaged is why you want to develop your own style.
Regardless of the kind of writing you do, it is your writing style that sets you apart from thousands of other writers. Every writer has a different level of skill in terms of communicating effectively to readers. Style is something you will develop over time.
7 WRITING TIPS FOR DEVELOPING YOUR OWN STYLE
Listed below are seven tips for developing your own unique style of writing.
-1- The recommended way to develop your unique writing style is to study great writers. If you are writing for the web, find a half dozen or more bloggers you like and study their content. While you never want to copycat content, it is smart to analyze skilled writers for the way they organize and express themselves.
Look at how they format articles.Study the first sentence then the first paragraph. Study the main body of the content all the way down to the close. Do they use long drawn out sentence or short ones? Do they use descriptive words to create a word picture? Do they use flowery phrases?Do they use 4-5 syllable words or is it mostly 1,2 and 3 syllable words?
-2- Write in a naturally easy voice. Use the phrases and words that come most easily to you in your first draft.Don’t try to use big words that are hard to understand. If you have to look up the meaning of a word, so will your readers.
You will lose the attention of most readers if you use complicated words and sentences. It’s far better to relate to your readers than it is to try to impress them with your use of vocabulary.
-3- Most writing courses encourage writing in a style that is conversational.In others words, write like you talk.
Pretend you are having a conversation with a good friend. While each friend may have a different personality, you maintain the integrity of your personality when talking to them. That is to say, you must be authentic and true to your own voice and unique point of view.
-4- Write a first draft of your article without editing. Don’t stress over grammar, punctuation or spelling on the first draft. Just put down on paper whatever comes to your mind in whatever way it comes.
Here is another tip--don't try to be perfect with your first draft. Sure, it will have flaws but the first phase of writing anything is the creative part where you put your thoughts together.The second phase is where you will edit and polish your article.
When you get to the editing phase of your article, edit, edit and edit again. I find it best to write my article and let it sit for awhile while I go for a walk or run an errand.Clearing my head helps me to see the improvements I need to make and correct my mistakes before I publish.
-5- Read your article out loud to yourself.Does it sound like you?Would your spouse or best friend pick your article out and say it sounds like you? Does your personality come through?
It’s hard for a person who finds humor in life to write even a technical piece without inserting their humor somewhere in the piece. On the other hand, if you are an analytical, no nonsense type of person, it may sound contrived if you try to be funny when that’s not your style.Does that make sense?
-6- Write in a natural, active voice.Writing in an active voice is easier to read and understand.It’s also more direct.
Here’s an example. Instead of writing, “My first visit to the Lincoln Memorial will be one I shall always remember with fondness”, write it this way, “I’ll never forget my first visit to the Lincoln Memorial.”
Writing in an active voice is more concise and it sounds more like you would talk.
-7- Write and keep on writing.Write something every day.The best way to develop your own unique style of writing is to practice. The more often you write the better you will become at communicating to your readers. Your own style will evolve over time.
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For Your Success!
Recent Comments
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Another excellent one, Rebecca. I have the most trouble with the active voice. I also have to write then walk away for a bit. It helps. Thanks for all your tips. ~Debbi
You bet, Debbi. I think the key is in the practice. Write, then walk away for awhile. Come back and edit. Rinse and repeat. By jove, I think you've got it!
Lucky those who need to write and communicate as much as they need to breathe. Wish I were one of those! I'd rather read than write...lol.
A wonderful and useful post, Rebecca. I agree about finding your own style and that it comes from the act of writing itself. ~Jude
Thanks for your comment, Jude. I too think writing comes easier to those who have a penchant for writing. But like anything, writing is a skill that improves with practice.
I have enjoyed your writing. The writing on your site is very believable and easy to read.
These are great writing tips all of which I work to follow! At one of the home school conventions I went to there was a professor who was teaching a class on writing, sharing ways for parents to teach their children. I truly adored his advice. He said the best thing to do to teach your children to write is to have them write; have them keep a journal and write in it everyday. They can write a lot or a little, he went on to say, it doesn't really matter. They can write about anything, even if it is just a little something about their day. Just keep them writing. Then you can use that journal to teach them grammar. Too often teaching is made too complicated. Great post! :)
Thanks for your thoughtful insight, Christa. Our greatest gift is the gift of speech that comes through our voice. Yet so many fear to use their voice to influence others.
I love the idea of keeping a journal...in the case of creating content for a blog post/website....an idea file...the exercise of writing helps us to become more comfortable in using our voice to help others.
I'm a huge proponent of finding your own style, Rebecca. Me? I'm kind of a Ziglar gal, the original WYSIWYG chica. I write the way I talk and I've had good results with my articles. For instance, when I do an interview, I may ask questions but the final article is done in conversation, not Q&A style. I've interviewed many people, celebs and others, face to face and on the phone and I've found that, for me, simply talking to them is the best way to do it. I'm very informal and friendly and it works for me. It may NOT work for someone else. One of my articles this past week was about this very thing.
http://realmoneynoscams.com/writing-great-website-content-talk-to-them/
You really have to find what works for YOU. Great tips here to do just that!
SO, SO TRUE, Carla. I love the "what you see is what you get" style. That is what truly engages readers.
Readers want to follow someone who is the real genuine article. I LOVE the article on your site. I too find that the best way to engage readers is to TALK TO them. Thanks for your comment Carla.
Once again, Rebecca you have some really good info. Being a writer I know most of this or have read it. So good to read again and let it cement in my mind that I'm on the right track. If anyone who reads this follows your advice they will become good writers. Myself included. :)
One of my favorite authors is Mark Twain. I used to sit in a big comfy chair on our porch when I was young and read and laugh at the antics of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Twain truly was a great communicator. :)
My dear Judy...you make my heart sing. We writers and website developers all need validation from time to time. Making money from our efforts is a great validator but so is an authentic comment from a loyal reader. For that, I thank you!
I too love Mark Twain. What a gift he had for telling stories that drew his readers into the scenes he described.
I think my next post in this series will be about engaging and converting a loyal website audience. Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh wow, thank you for your kind words. It makes "my heart sing" to know I've inspired a new article. I say wow, again. :)
All great tips Rebecca. I have found that based on reply's and comments my writing technique is quite effective. Working with products that have detailed technical specs can confuse people.
Basically I try to write it with knowledge but with easy to understand flowing sentences that will make sense and not put the visitors head in a tailspin.....I am sure you have seen some tech pages that you just get overwhelmed by all the tech jargon and just want to move on.
Thanks for some great suggestions. :)
Thanks for your comment, Kim. I know exactly what you mean. While I have a need to gain more knowledge in the tech field, I find my brain hurts from reading some articles. I like the expression, "high tech--no check!" If we get too technical in our writing we will lose 90% of our readers. I'm happy to find someone like you who gets that message!!!
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Hello Rebecca,
Another excellent and informative post. I like your writing style...and it will take practice, practice and more practice for me to develop my style...it will be difficult but it will not stop me from becoming successful. I am a photographer (not a writer)...we communicate through our vision of a scene and how we choose to capture it.
Thanks again,
Jeff
Photography is a beautiful medium of communication. How blessed you are to have a great eye for the picture worth a thousand words.
thanks for your comment, Jeff. ~Rebecca